---
title: "Using Outstatic for Markdown content"
publishedAt: "2025-02-17T03:00:00.000Z"
status: "published"
author:
  name: "Andre Vitorio"
  picture: "https://avatars.githubusercontent.com/u/1417109?v=4"
slug: "using-outstatic-for-markdown-content"
---

Here's how you can get started with Outstatic on any project using markdown.

Requirements:

- A [GitHub](https://github.com) account.

### **Initiating Setup: GitHub Authentication**

Before diving in, it's essential to configure GitHub Authentication for your project. Outstatic accommodates both **GitHub OAuth** and **GitHub Apps** for authentication purposes:

- **GitHub OAuth:** easier and quicker to set up, ideal for simpler integrations.

- **GitHub Apps:** setup is generally more complex, providing a refined level of access and control.

For those opting for GitHub Apps, please refer to the relevant [GitHub Apps Authentication](/github-apps-authentication) documentation.

#### Setting up a GitHub OAuth Application:

Let’s walk through the steps to create a GitHub OAuth Application, streamlining your project’s initial setup:

- First go to the "Register a new OAuth application" page on GitHub by [clicking here](https://github.com/settings/applications/new).

- Give your application a name, "Outstatic Blog" for example.

- For the **Homepage URL** and **Authorization callback URL** fields type in any valid url, ex: `https://outstatic.com`, we'll change them later.

- You can leave the **Application** description field empty.

Click on **Register application**. You'll be redirected to your GitHub Oauth App settings page.

Next, click on **Generate a new client secret**. Once done, keep this tab open. We'll need these values for our next steps.

## Cloning the project

Start by cloning the `outstatic-dashboard` project to your machine:

```bash
git clone git@github.com:avitorio/outstatic-dashboard.git
cd outstatic-dashboard
pnpm install
pnpm dev
```

Start your dev server. Assuming you're on `http://localhost:3000` you can access your dashboard at `https://localhost:3000/outstatic`.

You should see this page:

![](/docs/images/missing-env-vars-gzNz.webp)

Let's update your environment variables.

```bash
OST_GITHUB_ID=YOUR_GITHUB_OAUTH_APP_ID
OST_GITHUB_SECRET=YOUR_GITHUB_OAUTH_APP_SECRET
```

Now go back to your GitHub OAuth App settings page and update the following values:

- **Homepage URL**: `http://localhost:3000/`.

- **Authorization callback URL:** `http://localhost:3000/api/outstatic/callback`

Click on **Update application**.

Restart your service and go back to the `/outstatic` page.

If everything is setup correctly, then you'll see a login page and will be able to access your Dashboard.

![](/docs/images/outstatic-login-screen-I4Mz.png)

Congratulations! Your Outstatic installation is ready and you can now start creating and editing content.

We recommend you learn how Outstatic [manages content](/introduction).

### Access the Outstatic dashboard from your live site

If you also want to access your Outstatic dashboard from your live site you'll need to create a second GitHub OAuth app as GitHub doesn't allow for multiple callback urls for a single OAuth app.

Just repeat the steps for creating a GitHub OAuth app, but this time, replacing `http://localhost:3000/` on **Homepage URL** and **Authorization callback URL** with your actual website address.

Don't forget to add the following environment variables to your Vercel project:

```bash
OST_GITHUB_ID=YOUR_GITHUB_OAUTH_APP_ID
OST_GITHUB_SECRET=YOUR_GITHUB_OAUTH_APP_SECRET
```

To learn more about all the available environment variables, see the [Environment Variables ](https://outstatic.com/environment-variables)section of the docs.